2026 Summer Administrative Workshop (SAW)

Banner for CIU 20 2026 Summer Administrative Workshop

When: June 18, 2026, 7:45am-3:50 pm

Where: NCC Main Campus

3835 Green Pond Rd
Bethlehem, PA 18020
(610) 861-5300

Registration Fee: $75

SAW Event Schedule

7:45 am-8:45 am	Registration/Breakfast
8:45 am-9:00 am	Opening Remarks
9:00am-10:00 am	Keynote
10:00 am-10:10 am	Break
10:10 am-11:10 am	Morning Session 1
11:10 am-11:20 am	Break
11:20 am-12:20 pm	Morning Session 2
12:20 pm-1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm-2:30 pm	Afternoon Session 1
2:30 pm-2:40 pm	Break
2:40 pm-3:40 pm	Afternoon Session 2
3:40 pm-3:50 pm	Break
3:50 pm	Closing Remarks/ Raffle

Opening Keynote by Ross Szabo

9:00 am-10:00 am

Ross Szabo, Keynote speaker for 2026 Summer Administrative Workshop

From a student suffering in silence to a global pioneer in wellness education, Ross Szabo’s journey is a masterclass in resilience and systemic change. As a founding faculty member of the Geffen Academy at UCLA, Ross developed the first public health approach to mental health, creating a blueprint for integrating wellness into every classroom. In this powerful session, Ross bridges the gap between the teen burying their problems and the administrator designing the systems to reach them. Join us to learn how we can center the stories that shape our schools and amplify the collective strength of our educational community.

To learn more about Ross, click here to visit Ross Szabo’s website.

Opening Keynote: Mental Health Starts With Me

Ross Szabo was a teenager who appeared to have everything going for him on the outside. He was a class president, a varsity basketball player, and volunteered to help others. On the inside, he hid crippling bouts of depression and bipolar disorder that led to him attempting to take his own life when he was a senior in high school. He struggled alone until adults were able to connect with him. Ross turned his experiences as a teen into an opportunity to educate others. He created the first public health approach to addressing mental health education in schools. He developed a mental health curriculum that is used internationally. Now, he’s a founding faculty member of a middle school/high school that is focused on integrating wellness education into every classroom. This program gives a powerful exploration of what it’s like to be a teen who is burying their problems and a teacher who is designing evidence-based programs to improve mental health in order to reach the teens who need it the most. Participants will have a chance to analyze their own personal experiences, discuss mental health literacy and receive guidelines for how to use a personal story.

Click on each title to expand session description. Room locations will be finalized closer to the event.

Morning Session 1 - 10:10 am-11:10 am

Behind Happy Faces Mental Health Curriculum

Speaker: Ross Szabo, Wellness Director - Geffen Academy at UCLA, Author of A Kids Book About Anxiety, TedX Speaker

Many communities are determining how to implement curriculum to address the mental health crisis. This session offers participants the opportunity to engage with a mental health curriculum that takes a health education approach to mental health education. Offering a definition of mental health, a common vocabulary to use, details for how coping mechanisms develop and how to support others gives people skills they can use to address challenges. Participants will leave this session with an understanding of how to teach basic lessons about mental health in any setting.

Target Audience: ALL

At the Table Together: Strengthening Communication, Collaboration, and Leadership Through Skilled IEP Facilitation

Speaker: Mr. AJ Kise, Director of Special & Alternative Education-Nazareth Area School District, and Mrs. Kasey Kinney, Director of Special Education - Colonial Intermediate Unit 20

When School District, Local Education Agencies, and Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 leaders work in true partnership, everyone comes to the table stronger. This fun, thoughtful, and engaging administrative PD session will explore how collaborative leadership can transform IEP meetings into productive, well-prepared, and student-centered experiences. Participants will reflect on the power of strong meeting preparation, clear communication, and shared problem-solving, and gain practical strategies for partnering effectively with CIU20 staff, administration, and district teams. The session will also address how to navigate challenging conversations, respond to conflict professionally, and use strategies to keep LEAs and CIU20 teams aligned on student needs even when perspectives differ. With a focus on relationship-building, responsive leadership, and meaningful collaboration, this session will leave administrators energized and better prepared to lead meetings that are positive, compliant, and student-centered.

Target Audience: Special Ed, Principals, Behavioral Health, Curriculum

Leading with Vision: Multi-Stakeholder Reflections on Leading in an AI-Driven Educational Landscape

Speaker: Panel Discussion featuring District Administrators Facilitated by Dr. Susan Kandianis, Supervisor of Educational Technology - Colonial Intermediate Unit 20

In an era where human knowledge doubles every 12 hours, educational leaders are no longer just managing technology; they are navigating a fundamental shift in the "human why" of schooling. This interactive panel, moderated by the CIU 20 Supervisor of Educational Technology, brings together the essential voices of the AI ecosystem: students, administrators, healthcare, and business leaders. The discussion will explore how districts can support teachers in moving toward authentic, student-driven learning—where students don't just consume information, but create and problem-solve. By bringing together the voices of those currently in the classroom with those hiring the next generation of employees, this session provides a roadmap for leading schools that prioritize durability, adaptability, and excellence in a rapidly changing world.

Target Audience: Technology, Human Resources, School Safety, Business

Mathematical Fluency for Administrators

Speaker: Rob Baier, Atlantic Strategic Account Lead - Innovamat

Join us for a focused session designed specifically for school and district leaders looking to better understand and support mathematical fluency in today’s classrooms. Grounded in the research and frameworks of Jennifer Bay-Williams, this session will unpack what true fluency means beyond speed and memorization—highlighting the role of number sense, flexibility, and student reasoning. Participants will explore what to look for in effective fluency instruction, how to support teachers in implementing meaningful practice, and how to align fluency with broader instructional goals. Walk away with clear leadership moves and practical insights to drive stronger math outcomes across your system.

Target Audience: Principals, Curriculum, STEM Leaders

PCCD School Safety and Security Updates

Speaker: Heather Masshardt, Deputy Director - School Safety Office of Research, Evaluation and Strategic Policy Development PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency

PCCD’s Deputy Director of School Safety and Security joins us to cover this year’s legislative updates impacting school safety and security, new requirements for School Safety and Security Coordinators, as well as recent changes approved by the School Safety and Security Committee impacting training standards, new training resources, and school safety and behavioral health guidance for schools.

Target Audience: Facilities, School Safety, Human Resources, Principals, Business

Purposeful Pathways: Stroudsburg’s Blueprint for Post-Secondary Success

Speaker: Clint Davis, Coordinator of Student Services - Stroudsburg Area School District

Career development at Stroudsburg Area School District is a comprehensive system designed to ensure every student is seen and significant as they prepare for life beyond graduation. This process is anchored by the Career Education and Work Standards, which provide the necessary "why" behind student learning by connecting classroom tasks to successful future outcomes. To foster a deeper sense of purpose and wellbeing, the district integrates Industry-Based Learning Standards and Act 158 requirements, creating clear PA Pathways to Graduation that honor the individual strengths and dignity of every learner. By aligning these state mandates with a commitment to lifelong learning and growth, the district ensures that students do not just meet compliance markers but gain the resilient mindsets needed to thrive in their future careers.

Target Audience: Principals, Curriculum, Special Ed

Morning Session 2 - 11:20 am-12:20 pm

Using Your Personal Story

Speaker: Ross Szabo, Wellness Director - Geffen Academy at UCLA, Author of A Kids Book About Anxiety, TedX Speaker

Personal stories are one of the most effective ways to lessen the stigma surrounding mental health. In this age of technology, one of the best ways to keep students engaged is to make lessons come alive with personal stories. This session helps participants learn guidelines for how to use a personal story in a responsible manner. Participants will learn how to prepare a story, connect a story to a learning objective and maintain a story. They will discuss how to make sure a personal story has been emotionally processed, consider their personal sharing style, ways to bridge from a personal story to a universal health education lesson and how to implement boundaries to maintain everyone's safety. Participants will have time to draft a personal story that aligns with the work they are currently doing.

Target Audience: ALL

Happy, Relaxed, Engaged: Creating a Supportive Learning Environment for Youth with Challenging Behaviors

Speaker: Candice Charlton Bjorheim, MS, BCBA, LBS Resolve Management Assistant for Behavioral Consultation; Courtney Fenner, M.A., M.S. Professional Learning, Training and Consulting Staff & Ken Smith, LPC, BCBA Resolve Clinical Supervisor for IBHS, ABA, MHP and Related Services - Colonial Intermediate Unit 20

Students with challenging behaviors need unique supports to facilitate their social-emotional-behavioral health and strengthen academic achievement. The practical functional assessment (PFA) and skill-based treatment (SBT) approach emphasizes the prevention of escalation of problem behavior while teaching and strengthening replacement repertoires within the challenging contexts in which the severe problem behavior is most likely to occur (FTF Behavioral Consulting, 2026). Join us to learn more about this promising practice that aims to support youth and the staff who serve them to be happy, relaxed, and engaged. Case studies of local youth will be shared.

Target Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Behavioral Health, Special Ed

Implementing Math Intervention

Speaker: Rob Baier, Atlantic Strategic Account Lead - Innovamat

Join us for a practical session designed to help leaders and educators strengthen their approach to math intervention. Grounded in research from the Institute of Education Sciences, this session will highlight what truly moves the needle for students in Tier 2 and Tier 3 support. Participants will explore the critical role of mathematical learning trajectories in identifying student needs, targeting instruction, and accelerating progress. Walk away with actionable insights to build a more coherent and effective intervention model in your school or district.

Target Audience: Principals, Special Ed, Curriculum, STEM Leaders

Innovation at the Speed of Trust: Leading Transformation in Education with AI

Speaker: Mike Peck, Ed.D., Director of Technology & Innovation - Pen Argyl School District

Explore how trust shapes the speed and success of AI-driven innovation in education. Using KnowledgeWorks' Portrait of a Leader framework, participants will engage in interactive exercises to identify practical strategies for building trust and leading transformative change.

Target Audience: Technology, Curriculum, Principals, Superintendents

PCCD School Safety and Security Updates

Speaker: Heather Masshardt, Deputy Director - School Safety Office of Research, Evaluation and Strategic Policy Development PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency

PCCD’s Deputy Director of School Safety and Security joins us to cover this year’s legislative updates impacting school safety and security, new requirements for School Safety and Security Coordinators, as well as recent changes approved by the School Safety and Security Committee impacting training standards, new training resources, and school safety and behavioral health guidance for schools.

Target Audience: Facilities, School Safety, Human Resources, Principals, Business

The Investigation Process

Speaker: Brian Taylor, Chair - KingSpry’s Investigations and Compliance Services Group

In this workshop, the presenters will share a comprehensive overview of the investigation process, with an emphasis on those conducted in the environment of educational institutions. We’ll cover Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, Breaches of Policy and Code of Ethics violations, as well as the interplay of various grounds for each. Attendees will learn best practices for the investigation process, including how to make your investigative record Exhibit A in the event of litigation.

Target Audience: Human Resources, Principals, Superintendents, Business

Afternoon Session 1 - 1:30 pm-2:30 pm

Amplify & Augment: How AI Makes Good Leaders Better

Speaker: Mike Peck, Ed.D., Director of Technology & Innovation - Pen Argyl School District

What happens when you pair experienced leadership judgment with AI's ability to surface patterns, challenge blind spots, and accelerate strategic thinking? This session, built on Bob Johansen's (Leaders Make the Future) augmented leadership framework, puts AI tools in your hands so you can experience the difference between thinking alone and thinking with AI as a partner.

Target Audience: Technology, Curriculum, Principals, Superintendent

Navigating the Digital Space: Social Media, AI, and Youth Well-being

Speakers: Courtney Fenner, M.A., M.S., Training and Consulting Staff - Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 & Dana Milakovic, PsyD, NCSP, Assistant Director - Office of School Climate and Well-Being

The urgency for informed leadership has never been greater in addressing youth mental health and the digital space. Recent Pew Research (2025) indicates that nearly 50% of teens view social media’s impact as having a “mostly negative effect,” and local preliminary PAYS (Pennsylvania Youth Survey) data indicates 34% of youth experienced bullying in the last year through online, social media, or the phone as the primary place (2025). This session explores the dual nature of our students' digital worlds—from the pull of algorithms and the rise of AI companions, to the positive communities that offer vital support for marginalized youth. Participants will leave with actionable steps to support youth and families in preventative and responsive measures to foster resilience and support digital wellness.

Target Audience: Special Ed, Principals, Behavioral Health

Sport as the Untapped Classroom: Strengthening Transferable Skills for Student Success

Speaker: Jeff McCann, Executive Director and Co-Founder - AthLife Foundation

Sport as the Untapped Classroom asks educational leaders to reconsider a common assumption: just because students play sports does not mean they are automatically developing the skills schools, colleges, and future employers value most. While athletics can be a powerful context for growth, leadership, belonging, and future readiness, those outcomes require more than participation. Drawing on the AthLife Foundation’s Positive Youth Development through Sport framework, this session will explore how coaches, educators, and school leaders can more intentionally use the school sport experience to help students build and apply transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, organization, coping, ethics, execution, and creativity. Participants will also consider how a stronger, more intentional sports culture can become a meaningful driver of student success and a powerful part of a school district’s broader success story.

Target Audience: Athletic Directors, Principals, Behavioral Health

Student Mobile Phones: Supervision, Safety, and Sanity

Speaker: Mark W. Cheramie Walz, Partner - Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP

Phones are everywhere—but what are the boundaries? This session covers the latest research, legal cases, and practical strategies around student cell phone use, including discipline, privacy, search rules, and school policies. We’ll discuss the growing movement to ban mobile phones in schools altogether, and what it would take to do so.

Target Audience: ALL

Supervising for Inquiry

Walkthroughs that Work: Custom Walkthroughs that Drive Meaningful Change

Speaker: Dr. Isabel C. Resende, Superintendent - Nazareth Area School District;
Mr. William Ostroski, Assistant Principal - Nazareth Area High School; Mr. Matthew Wehr, Assistant Principal - Nazareth Area Middle School; Mrs. Jacklyn Bewick, Assistant Principal - Nazareth Area Intermediate School; Mrs. Kelly Apruzzi, Principal - Kenneth Butz Elementary School

This session explores how instructional walkthroughs can move beyond compliance to drive professional growth and student achievement through collaboration, reflection, and measurable impact. The Nazareth Area School District administrative team shares how they reimagined the walkthrough process by grounding it in research and aligning it to district priorities.
Using John Hattie’s research on effect size, the team prioritized high-impact instructional strategies and developed customized tools to generate actionable data, promote reflective dialogue, and support continuous improvement. Participants will gain practical strategies for selecting focus areas, building staff capacity, and ensuring walkthroughs lead to sustained instructional change rather than isolated observations.

Target Audience: Special Ed, Principals, Curriculum, Superintendents

Afternoon Session 2 - 2:40 pm-3:40 pm

Leading from Experience: Real Talk from the Principal’s Chair

Speaker: Facilitated by Dr. Todd VanNortwick, Supervisor of Professional Learning and Auxiliary Services - Colonial Intermediate Unit 20

Featured Principals: Daniel Gonzalez - Easton Area School District, Jennifer Levernier - Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, Tim McCutchan - Pleasant Valley School District, Jennifer Moriarty - Delaware Valley School District

Join a panel of seasoned K–12 principals as they share candid insights from years in the field. This session goes beyond theory to explore the real challenges and successes of school leadership—navigating staff dynamics, managing crises, building culture, and sustaining personal resilience. Whether you’re new to administration or a veteran leader, you’ll gain practical strategies, honest reflections, and actionable takeaways to strengthen your impact in the coming school year.

Target Audience: Principals, New Leaders

Special Education and Related News

Speaker: Rebecca A. Young, Esq. Chair, Special Education Law Practice Group & Rachel Sokolsky, Associate Attorney - KingSpry Attorneys & Counselors

This session will review trends in special education litigation as well as legislative and policy changes. In addition, we will recap and discuss federal decisions that affect procedures and liability standards under the IDEA and Section 504.

Target Audience: Superintendents, Principals, Special Ed

Sport as the Untapped Classroom: Strengthening Transferable Skills for Student Success

Speaker: Jeff McCann, Executive Director and Co-Founder - AthLife Foundation

Sport as the Untapped Classroom asks educational leaders to reconsider a common assumption: just because students play sports does not mean they are automatically developing the skills schools, colleges, and future employers value most. While athletics can be a powerful context for growth, leadership, belonging, and future readiness, those outcomes require more than participation. Drawing on the AthLife Foundation’s Positive Youth Development through Sport framework, this session will explore how coaches, educators, and school leaders can more intentionally use the school sport experience to help students build and apply transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, organization, coping, ethics, execution, and creativity. Participants will also consider how a stronger, more intentional sports culture can become a meaningful driver of student success and a powerful part of a school district’s broader success story.

Target Audience: Athletic Directors, Principals, Behavioral Health

Supervising for STEELS Inquiry

The Year in Ed Tech

Closing Remarks/Raffle

3:50 pm

We look forward to having you join us for our CIU 20 Annual SAW!

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